Cavity spot is a major disease of carrots in the UK which is caused mainly by the soilborne oomycete plant pathogen Pythium violae as well occasionally by other species such as P. sulcatum and P. intermedium. Despite being soilborne, control of cavity spot relies on the application of foliar fungicides but levels of control can vary and enhanced degradation may also occur in some soils. Long rotations between carrot crops are recommended but not always possible. New strategies for cavity spot control are therefore required.

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Research Areas

• Development of PCR-based diagnostics and tools for P. violae and other species including molecular characterisation and population structure.
• Epidemiology of P. violae including effect of environmental factors, infection strategy and interaction with the microbial community.
• Biofumigation for control of cavity spot disease.

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Research Projects

• AHDB FV391a / FV 391b Carrots: Development of artificial inoculation techniques for cavity spot caused by Pythium violae (2016-2018)
• PhD AHDB FV 432: Understanding the ecology and epidemiology of Pythium violae to enable disease management (2014-2018)
• AHDB FV 405: Carrots: Control of carrot cavity spot through the use of pre-crop green manures/biofumigation (2012-2016)
• AHDB FV 353: Carrot cavity spot: (i) using quantitative PCR to predict disease in strawed crops; (ii) controlling moisture for optimum disease management (2009-2010)
• PhD AHDB CP 046: Carrot cavity spot: the effects of non-carrot crops on levels of relevant Pythium spp in the soil (2007-2009)

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Further information

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